Ever since I was a child

Ever since I was a child I'd been a Wicked Woman no man in Manhattan would marry me by 28 no man in Manhattan would marry me So my family traded me So my family traded me to a widowed Diamond King in a merger marriage Diamond King in a merger marriage I walked into the Blackwood house ready to make them fear me ready to make them fear me Then a little girl tugged my sleeve Are you are you my mommy are you my mommy Do I really have a mommy now She looked so pitiful She looked so pitiful For one second I was eight years old again standing in my father's house after standing in my father's house after my mother died waiting for someone to want me No one ever did To my stepmother I was trouble I would be the mother I never had I would be the mother I never had Even if I had to burn every rule in this house to ash this house to ash Today's wedding was my stepmother's perfect chance to be rid of me for good perfect chance to be rid of me for good She gripped the steering wheel She gripped the steering wheel lips stretched into a performance smile lips stretched into a performance smile I watched her from the passenger seat I watched her from the passenger seat The car stopped at the hotel doors The car stopped at the hotel doors Arms crossed She dabbed under her eye with one finger She dabbed under her eye with one finger Not one real tear Not one real tear Oh Vivienne baby I'm gonna miss you so much I'm gonna miss you so much I looked at her Smiled slow You know what Mom I'm coming back If it doesn't work out Keep my room exactly how it is Keep my room exactly how it is Go go go Good luck sweetie GO Go go go Good luck sweetie GO She shoved me toward the doors so hard She shoved me toward the doors so hard I nearly tripped on my own dress The dress was ruby red The dress was ruby red I picked it myself If I was going to marry a ghost If I was going to marry a ghost I might as well look like I meant it Because there was no groom at the altar Because there was no groom at the altar Alistair Blackwood was feared Alistair Blackwood was feared filthy rich and untouchable He was somewhere in South Africa He was somewhere in South Africa bidding on a high stakes rough diamond bidding on a high stakes rough diamond that couldn't wait In his place stood his private lawyer In his place stood his private lawyer and a signed proxy contract Three hundred guests in the rows Three hundred guests in the rows Whispering Poor thing Can't even get a real husband to show up Can't even get a real husband to show up Lucky anyone took her at all Lucky anyone took her at all I walked to the altar Picked up the pen Signed The lawyer stamped the papers Slid a cold ring onto my finger No kiss No vows Just ink on paper done I turned and walked back down the aisle alone I turned and walked back down the aisle alone Chin high Heels clicking marble Every eye on me Let them pity me I didn't need a husband I needed a house an empire and two walls between me and my family forever and two walls between me and my family forever The Blackwood car pulled up outside A driver in a black suit opened the door A driver in a black suit opened the door kicked off my heels and leaned back against the leather The Obsidian Villa appeared twenty minutes later Iron gates Stone walls Security cameras blinking red in the dark Security cameras blinking red in the dark No one greeted me No flowers No welcome A housekeeper led me upstairs without a word The master bedroom was cold and untouched Then a knock I opened the door A little girl Five years old Dark curls Brown eyes too big for her face A nightgown swallowing her whole She was trembling She reached up and grabbed the edge of my sleeve Are you are you my mom now Do I really have a mom That tiny cracked voice split me open I knelt down until we were eye to eye Yeah kid You've got a mom now She grabbed my hand Her name was Clara Five years old Behind her half hidden in the dark hallway stood a boy Maybe ten years old Arms crossed Jaw tight Alistair's son Sebastian His eyes were full of something I recognized instantly Distrust He didn't say a word Didn't move Just watched me the way animals watch a trap Every adult in his life had already failed him Then I heard it Heels Clicking closer Sharp and deliberate A woman appeared at the end of the hallway Sharp Ch**el at midnight Cassandra Blackwood Alistair's sister in law The widow who ran this house She looked me up and down Didn't bother hiding the disgust So You're the replacement Behind me Clara pressed closer to my leg Sebastian didn't move Cassandra's gaze dropped to Clara Her smile thinned Kids, It's past your bedtime Neither child moved Cassandra stepped forward Grabbed Clara's arm Clara flinched Her whole body went rigid But she didn't make a sound My hand shot out Caught Cassandra's wrist The grip alone made her freeze Don't Cassandra yanked her hand back Her eyes went wide then narrow Excuse me She's shy First time meeting me There's no reason to hurt her I didn't hurt her You're seeing things She looked down at Clara Voice sweet Poison underneath Tell her sweetheart Did I hurt you Clara shook her head Too fast I knew that move I'd done it a thousand times as a kid Cassandra smoothed her jacket Turned on her heel The children can show you around tomorrow Need anything Ask the staff Then she walked away I stood there with two broken children I'd known for less than five minutes Clara was still gripping my sleeve Sebastian still hadn't said a word But somewhere behind those guarded eyes something changed The next morning The house showed its real face Cassandra owned the west side Lady Margaret owned the east Alistair's children had two tiny rooms Near the service entrance Sebastian's closet was empty Clara had three outfits Too small Worn thin Their rooms had bare walls No toys No books One thin blanket lay on a mattress On the floor This was the richest estate in Manhattan And these children lived like orphans In their own father's house Meanwhile Tristan had a room like an apartment New clothes New toys Staff calling him golden boy Sebastian and Clara avoided him like a disease The staff avoided me too They took orders from Cassandra I closed the last closet door My hands curled into fists But that was over The rules of this house were about to change Seven am The dining room glittered with money Cassandra sat at the head Silk blouse Diamonds shining Lady Margaret sat to her right Tea Sharp little eyes watching me enter A plate was set at my place I looked down A single piece of bread Green at the edges Stale Green at the edges Cassandra had eggs And silver caviar Lady Margaret had fresh bread and cheese I got mold Oh The kitchen wasn't sure what you liked Hope that's alright